Modular panel of expanded synthetic material provided with staggered longitudinal &#34;T&#34;-shaped channels, receiving &#34;T&#34;-shaped wooden posts useful for erecting walls

ABSTRACT

A composite panel (1) particularly suited for erecting buildings with a structural load-bearing wooden framework (4) is formed by a substantially parallelepiped body of expanded synthetic material having a standardized thickness, a modularly standardized width and a customized height, which is congruent with the design floor height of the building to be constructed. The panels have a plurality of longitudinal channels extending for the whole height of the panel. A series of channels (2,3) uniformly spaced and staggered in the sense of said width and of said thickness of the panel, are open on the adjacent face of the panel and have a T-shaped cross section. In these open channels fit T-shaped cross section wooden posts (4), the stem portion (4b) of which emerges out of said open channels and project from the surface of the panel. The series of staggered T wooden posts confer load-bearing capabilities to the composite panel while providing vertically oriented &#34;ribs&#34; emerging from the face of the expanded synthetic material panel onto which an outer finishing of the wall may be easily anchored.

DESCRIPTION TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the techniques for erectingload-bearing walls and dividing walls of a building by means ofmodularly assemblable panels of an expanded synthetic material, destinedto receive a lining and wherein the load structure comprises a frameworkof wooden posts and beams.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of modularly assembleable elements off expanded syntheticmaterial, typically of expanded polystyrene or polyurethane, for formingperimetral walls and internal dividing walls, traversed or not bysteel-reinforced concrete pillars, which are formed in cavities whichare purposely formed into the expanded polystyrene bodies, as well as offloor slabs, roofs, etc., has long now become a widespread practice inthe building industry because of the numerous advantages that thesebuilding techniques offer in respect to more traditional techniques,under innumerable conditions. both in the residential and commercialbuilding industry.

While the use of modular panels of expanded synthetic material forerecting perimeteral walls and dividing walls has enjoyed a readyacceptance in the building industry where the load structure is commonlymade by a framework of steel-reinforced concrete, the technique hasn'thad a similar acceptance where the most common building technique isthat of erecting a Building structure in the form-of a wooden framework.This difference of acceptance may be ascribed to the fact that while inthe case of reinforced-steel load-bearing structures the modular panelsprovided with internal channels advantageously provide in a very simpleand effective manner the "molds" in which the steel reinforcing meansmay be set and the concrete poured. This fundamental advantage is nolonger so significant in the case of buildings with a wooden framework,wherein the wooden structural members normally provide ideal fastening"ribs" for external and internal wood panelling, tile facing, or plasteror mortar coat. In this type of wooden framework buildings, the thermalinsulation is commonly made by "filling" the space between the two walllinings, internal and external, with loose isolating material or withpanels or mats of insulating material, such as for example expandedpolystyrene or polyurethane panels or glass or rock fiber mats supportedon paper, and alike materials, which may be suitably shaped or cut tomeasure during the laying. In other words, the erection of the structuremay be made according to traditional techniques, before laying theinsulating material, which may be done usually after having completedone of the two external or internal paneling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It has now been found that the use of modular panels of an expandedsynthetic material having peculiar characteristics may have outstandingadvantages also for erecting wooden framework buildings.

It is therefore a main objective of the present invention to provide amodular panel of an expanded synthetic material particularly suited forerecting perimetral walls and internal dividing walls, wherein the loadis substantially borne by wooden risers or posts which are part of aload-bearing framework structure of the building. The panels of theinvention are substantially composite, load-bearing panels, which besidepermitting the fastening of the facing or finishing material of the wallto the wooden posts, which are part of the composite panel forconferring to the panel load-bearing properties and which uponmechanical connection constitute the wooden load-bearing framework ofthe building, permit also a great simplification of the erection of theload-bearing wooden framework structure itself.

Basically the panel of the invention comprises a parallelepipedself-supporting body of an expanded synthetic material, having astandardized thickness, a width modularly standardized and a heightwhich may be predetermined during production of the panels, In order tocoincide, or be congruent, with the height between two floors of thebuilding to be constructed, and which is provided with a series oflongitudinal channels, uniformly spaced and staggered, on both majorsurfaces of the panel, and having a T-shaped cross section, into whichT-shaped cross section wooden posts are inserted, the stem portion ofwhich projects out of the surface of the panel.

Each composite panel thus formed, constitutes a true modular element ofa wall, which is intrinsically provided with a sufficient load-bearingcapability which is conferred to the composite panel by the T-shapedwooden risers which are inserted in the T-shaped channels of the body ofexpanded synthetic material.

The disposition, alternately staggered, on one side and on the otherside of the panel, of the wooden posts in the sense of the length of thewall being erected, provides a great rigidity to the structure and eachwooden post has a cross section which presents a stem portion or lateralprojection which juts out of the surface of the panel and therefore isperfectly available for fastening a wall outer finishing thereto. Thepanels of expanded synthetic material by receiving the wooden posts intorespective T-shaped vertical channels by insertion, sustain the woodenposts themselves in a perfectly vertical position until they areconnected at the base and at the top, thus greatly facilitating theerection work of the same load-bearing structure of the building besideensuring a perfect continuity of the insulating layer and thus a greatefficiency in terms of thermal insulation of the building.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The different aspects and advantages of the composite panels of thepresent invention will become evident through the following detaileddescription of preferred embodiments and by reference to the attacheddrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial, schematic, perspective cross sectional view of awall made with the panels of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a wooden post, having a T-shapedcross section, which is employed in the composite panels of theinvention;

FIG. 3 is a partial, schematic, cross sectional, plan view of aperimetral wall made with the panels of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a partial, schematic, cross sectional, plan view showing theconnection to a perimetral wall of an infernal dividing wall;

FIG. 5 is a partial, schematic, cross sectional view showing the way offorming a window's sill support;

FIG. 6 is a partial, schematic, cross section, elevation view showing away of forming a floor slab resting on a load-bearing perimetral wall;

FIG. 7 is a partial, schematic, perspective view showing the structureof a floor slab particularly suited for a building made with thecomposite panels of the invention.

BEST AND VARIOUS MODES FOR CARRYING OUT INVENTION

With reference to FIG. 1, a load-bearing perimetral wall is erected bylaying modularly assemblable panels one next to the other. In thepartial view of FIG. 1, a panel 1 is shown to have a standardized widthW, a standardized thickness T, and a height H which is preferablypredetermined when fabricating the panels by expanding a syntheticmaterial, such as for example a polystyrene, a polyurethane, etc., in amold. The height dimension of the panels, which may be easily customizedduring the production of the composite panels, is predetermined in baseto the particular requirements of the customer in order toadvantageously correspond or be congruent with the height between floorsof the building to be erected. Each panel is provided with a pluralityof channels or series of longitudinal channels, which extend for thewhole predefined height H of the panel. The number, the dimensions, andthe shape of these longitudinal channels may be different, however, inaccordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, thepanel is provided with at least a series of pairs of opposite channels:2a-2a', 2b-2b', 2 c-2c', 2d-2d', 2e-2e', which have a substantiallyrectangular cross section, for instance a square cross section, andalternately the channels are open longitudinally toward the adjacentmajor surface of the panel by a longitudinal "cut": 3a, 3c, 3e, on oneface of the panel and 3b' and 3d', on the opposite face of the panel,i.e. these staggered channels have a cross section shaped as an invertedT.

Inside these inverted T, longitudinal channels (open toward the adjacentface of the panel) are inserted special wooden risers 4a, which have aT-shaped cross section, so that the "stem" portion 4b of the T-crosssection of the wooden posts passes through the longitudinal cut of theinverted T-shaped channels and projects out of the major surface of thepanel.

A T-shaped cross section of the special wooden risers used in thecomposite panels of the invention is shown in FIG. 2. Each wooden risermay be formed by a square log 4a and by a stem portion 4b, which may bemade by joining a wooden board to the square log. The joint may be madepreferably by dovetailing (4c).

The outer end of the stem portion 4b of the T wooden posts, byprojecting as shown from the face of the expanded synthetic materialpanel, constitutes an 1deal load-bearing and fastening vertical "rib"for an outer finishing panelling of the wall.

An exemplary application of the composite panels of the presentinvention is schematically shown in FIG. 3. As it may be easily observedin this figure, the modularity of the panels 1 permits an easyrealization of corners and T-joints, by simply cutting the modularpanels according to needs. In the example shown, a perimetral wall may,once erected, be finished externally with a mortar coat for exteriorwhich may be anchored to the wooden posts of the composite panels bymeans of a metallic screen, i.e. an expanded metal screen 5, which maybe easily fastened onto the "ribs" represented by the projecting ends 4bof the T-shaped wooden posts. The external facing may also include amasonry wall or a tile facing, or other suitable exterior facingmaterials.

Similarly, the internal face of the wall may be paneled with plasterboard sheets 6, which may be directly fastened on the projecting ends 4bof the T-shaped wooden posts, which project from the face of thecomposite panels. Of course also on the interior face of the wall anexpanded metal screen may be fixed on the projecting portions of thewooden posts of the composite panels forming the wall for applying afinishing plaster coat or for laying tiles, e.g. in kitchen and bathroomareas and alike.

A manner of connecting an internal dividing wall to a perimetral wall isshown in FIG. 4. As visible in the partial cross section of FIG. 4, theJoining may be accomplished through the internal lining 6 (e.g. plasterboard) of the wall, by nailing or fastening 6 by means of screws awooden "semilog" on the rib 4b of a T-shaped wooden pose of theperimetral wall projecting from the internal face of the panel. Amodular composite panel for internal wall 9 may then mate, through aterminal "semichannel" 8, with the "semilog" 7, so fastened on theinternal face of the perimetral wall. The modular panels for internaldividing walls may have a composite structure different from the panelsof the invention, as in the example shown in FIG. 4, or may also have acomposite structure similar to the structure of the panels theinvention.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the panels havingmodularly predefined dimensions are fabricated in their composite format the production site, i.e., the wooden T-shaped cross section postsare inserted in the respective, reversed T, staggered channels, at theconclusion of the mold-forming of the channeled panels of expandedsynthetic material. Alternatively, the wooden risers may be coupled tothe channeled panels of expanded synthetic material at the erectionsite, before proceeding to set the panels in place.

A manner of forming a window or a door in the structure is shown in FIG.5. An adequate size opening in the panel is produced preferably betweena pair of T-shaped channels, having T-cross section wooden postsinserted therein. The risers of the frame of the window or of the doormay then be formed substantially by the same T-cross section woodenposts. Usefully, when arranging for window or door frames, additionalT-cross section wooden risers 4a' may be installed in the channels(normally empty) directly opposing the staggered posts 4a which arealready present in the composite panel. To this purpose, thelongitudinal channels 2, opposed to the inverted T-cross sectionchannels accommodating the wooden posts may be used by making thenecessary cuts through the expanded synthetic material body of thepanel, as may be necessary. A sturdy wooden beam 10 may be convenientlyintroduced between the opposing wooden risers of the frame of the dooror of the window and be suitably supported at a certain height in orderto constitute a door's or window's sill support. As shown in the exampleof FIG. 5, in the case of a window, the reinforcing beam 10 may be setand blocked in position and sustained at the set height from the floorfor example by pouring concrete inside the longitudinal channels 11 ofthe panels. These longitudinal channels of relatively large crosssection of the panels may also be usefully exploited as concrete moldsin mixed-type, load bearing, structures, which comprise pillars andeventually also beams made with reinforced concrete. These reinforcingpillars and beams may be formed by disposing inside the relative channelof the panels the reinforcing steel latticework, connecting it no afoundation reinforcing latticework and then pouring the concrete insidethe channels to form the reinforced concrete pillars.

The joining of a floor slam to a load-bearing wall made with thecomposite panels of the invention, is schematically shown in FIG. 6.Over the two staggered orders off wooden poses of the composite panels,perimetral wooden beams are disposed, preferably at different levels, asshown. On these perimetral horizontal beams 14 bear the floor beamswhich have an H-shaped cross section. The end of each floor beam is cutin a staggered way so as to bear on both horizontal perimetral beams 13and 14, which are purposely set at two different levels.

The shape of each floor beam 15 and the whole-structure of the floor isdepicted in FIG. 7.

Each beam is shaped as an H and is formed by two channeled wooden logs15a and 15b, joined by means of a board 15c, which is vertically setinto the two longitudinal channels of the top log and of the bottom logof the beam. Between parallel floor beams, modular panels of expandedsynthetic material 16 are set to provide a sufficient acoustic andthermal insulation through the floor slab and on the floor beams is laidthe floor, which may be made of polished wood boards or rough boards tobe covered by linoleum, wall to wall carpeting or with a reinforcingmetal screen for anchoring a mortar layer onto which ceramic tiles orthe like may be cemented.

I claim:
 1. A panel for constructing walls comprising a substantiallyparallelepiped body of an expanded synthetic material, having astandardized thickness, a modularly standardized width and a customizedheight and having a plurality of channels which extend longitudinallyfor the entire height of the panel, disposed at regular intervals alongsaid modularly standardized width of the panel, characterized by thefact that the panel is provided with a plurality of channels, regularlyspaced and staggered along said width and thickness of the panel andhaving a T-shaped cross section, open on the adjacent major surface ofthe panel; said T-shaped open channels receiving therein a wooden posthaving a mating T-shaped cross section, the stem portion of whichprojects out of the panel's surface.
 2. A panel as defined in claim 1,wherein said T-cross section channels belong to a series of pairs ofparallel channels opposing each other along the thickness of the panel;one channel of each pair being alternately open longitudinally towardthe adjacent face of the panel through a longitudinal cut through whichsaid stem portion of said T-shaped cross section poses passes.
 3. Aload-bearing composite panel for building walls comprising asubstantially parallelepiped body of expanded synthetic material havinga standardized thickness and a modularly standardized width and acustomized height and having a plurality of channels which extendlongitudinally for the entire height of the panel arranged at modularlyregular intervals along said standardized width of the panel, wherein aseries of said channels are uniformly spaced and staggered in the senseof the thickness and of the width of said panel and are open by means ofa longitudinal cut toward the adjacent face of the panel; wooden poseshaving a T-shaped cross section are set into said longitudinally openchannels, the stem portion of said cross section of the wooden postspassing through said longitudinal cut of the receiving channel andprojecting from the face of the panel;said staggered T-cross sectionwooden posts being capable of conferring load-bearing properties to thecomposite panel.